738 Post-operative Wound Care Using Silver-based Dressing with Autologous Skin Cell Suspension

Introduction Postoperative dressing and wound care are essential to optimize graft survival through imbibition, inosculation, and neovascularization. Autologous skin cell suspension (ASCS) using extended-wear dressings (EWD) as a primary or secondary has not been previously described in the literature. The goal of our study was to assess the feasibility of new dressing protocol for ASCS at reducing dressing changes without increasing reoperation rates for failure to close or mortality. Methods The study was an IRB approved, single-center, retrospective review of admissions between April 2018 to August 2019. Patients included in the study were >14 years of age with >3%TBSA partial-thickness and full-thickness burns undergoing excision and ASCS. EWD included a controlled-release silver antimicrobial dressing with active fluid management. Standard of Care (SoC) primary dressing with fine-pore, non-adherent polyethylene film followed by petroleum gauze, layered gauze, and compressive dressings. Data included age, gender, %TBSA, mortality, primary and secondary dressing, dressings changes prior to primary dressing change (DC), and failure to close (FTC) requiring reoperation. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the two populations. Results A total of 53 ASCS cases were performed with 33 receiving standard of care (SOC) and 20 EWD post-operatively. The median age was 48 (range 14–85) with 26% of the patients being female. The median TBSA was 17% (range 3–72%). Median age for SoC was 57 and for EWD was 33 (p-value= 0.0289). Median %TBSA for SoC was 20% and for EWD was 15% (p-value= 0.0182). 1 SoC patient required reoperation from both groups (p-value= 0.5210). No EWD patients required reoperation. 1 patient expired (SoC) in the study secondary to decompensated cirrhosis. EWD required median 1 DC versus 3 in the SoC group (p-value= 0.0164). Conclusions EWD with ASCS reduced the total number of dressing changes and did not result in increased mortality or reoperation for FTC in our feasibility trial with partial-thickness and full-thickness burn injuries. Optimizing postoperative care with EWD in ASCS may serve to reduce dressing change costs and patient discomfort as well as to shorten hospital length of stay. Applicability of Research to Practice Reduced wound care following autologous skin cell suspension.